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Blue Wahoos hit milestone in 9-1 win

Pitcher Michael Lorenzen is welcomed across home plate by his teammates after hitting a grand slam against the Mobile BayBears in the third inning during their game Friday night at the Blue Wahoos stadium.(Photo: Bruce Graner/bgraner@pnj.com)

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos turned in a thrilling 9-1 win against the Mobile BayBears on a milestone night on Friday in front of 5,038 fans, the team's 100th home sellout in franchise history.

The victory, Pensacola's fourth consecutive, also ties the team's longest win-streak of the season.

"It's awesome," said Blue Wahoos manager Delino DeShields. "It just goes to show what (team owner) Quint (Studer) and his staff do here. They are really out in the community. They really market this team."

With the sellout, the team has now attracted 881,551 fans in less than three seasons and will surpass the 1 million mark in attendance in the first month of the 2015 season.

"The fans of Pensacola have been outstanding since I have been here, especially since we haven't had really good ballclubs," DeShields said. "That's a very telling sign of the fans and their loyalty. I can't think of a better place to play in minor league baseball than here in Pensacola."

The fans could not have asked for a better game to mark the occasion.

Clinging to a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning, starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen crushed a two-out grand slam over the left field wall — the first time in club history that a pitcher has recorded a homer — to put the sellout crowd on its feet.

"I was going to go up there and try and drive the ball," Lorenzen said. "He just gave me a good pitch to hit.

"I was able to get into a good count, 3-2, fouled one off and then his next pitch was just right there. I think he was trying to throw a strike, he didn't want to walk the pitcher with the bases loaded."

Lorenzen finished the game four innings pitched, only allowing three hits and one run while striking out four and walking two.

James Walczak (3-5) picked up the win in relief for the Wahoos, tossing three innings while striking out six and only allowing one hit.

"You gotta do what you gotta do," Walczak said. "We're going to keep rolling and keep trying to win games."

If Lorenzen's performance wasn't enough, Juan Duran put his own mark on the occasion during the bottom of the seventh inning as he turned in a two-run homer on a shot over left-field. The feat gives the slugger 13 homers on the season — matching the team's record set last year by Travis Mattair.

Friday's win also marked the first time in the team's history that it has defeated the BayBears four times in a five-game series.

And all in front of the team's 100th sellout.

"Quint and the staff here are just outstanding," DeShields said. "They have outstanding employees from the bottom to the top and they make it a really enjoyable experience for the fans here.

"(There is) Great food, it's a clean stadium, the entertainment is good. I wish the play would have been better at times, but that will come eventually. But (sellouts) is just a tribute to the staff here and the job they do."

The Wahoos will now turn their attention to the Mississippi Braves and the start of a 10-game road trip.

Pensacola will send Gulf Breeze's own Ben Lively (0-4, 3.82 ERA) to the mound for Game 1 of their-five game series against the Braves while Mississippi will turn to RHP Jason Hursh 8-6, 3.70).

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. today at Trustmark Park.

After their series with Mississippi the Wahoos will travel to Tennesse for a five-game contest against the Smokies before returning home to Blue Wahoos stadium on Aug. 8 to host the Jackson Generals.